The Montclair-based Jazz House Kids music education program celebrated its 10th anniversary with a star-studded concert and gala fundraising dinner at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

Montclair residents Melissa Walker, who founded Jazz House Kids and serves as its president, and her husband, Christian McBride, the Grammy Award-winning big band leader and jazz bassist, were joined on stage by actress S. Epatha Merkerson and jazz artists George Duke, Angelique Kidjo, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley and Pat Metheny.

The gala's honorees included philanthropist John Cali, jazz saxophonist great Wayne Shorter and actor, singer and social activist Harry Belafonte.

The Jazz House Kids event is part of the inaugural TD James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival at NJPAC.

The festival continues Friday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m., with "For Love of Moody: A Jazz Celebration" with George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer and David Sanborn. For more information, visit www.njpac.org.